I was counting my change today, and I came across a 1944 Wheat Penny. The Wheat pennies are very rare these days. I hardly ever see them anymore.

My dad was an AVID coin collector, before he passed away in 2002. He had tons and tons of wheat pennies and some 1943 Steel pennies. (which I havent seen a steel penny in many many years either.) He had a plethora of coins, and some foreign coins too. None of us kids ever picked up on collecting, so he sold what he had before he died. I wish now that I would have taken on the collection when he asked me. Who knew he was going to pass when he did. I would have given anything to have something like that to remember him by.

I was putting the Wheat penny away for remembrance for my dad.. Low and behold, I pull a ring out of the pocket of my bag, that my mom gave me years ago. It wasnt anything fancy. Just a trinket ring she gave me when she was visiting for Christmas years ago.. She is in a nursing home and has bad dementia. She met my dd for the first time that year, but I doubt if she remembers her or not. She kept asking the whole time she was here, if that was my dd, or whose dd she was. It was sad, but I am glad my dd got to meet her, even tho my dd herself doesnt remember, because she was so small.

Jeez this turned into a sentimental thread, even tho I was just wanting to mention the rareness of a coin hehe. Oh well. It least it is a happy thread for me.

That is really cool! I love old coins! I have several wheat pennies myself. When my Dad died, I got his very small coin collection. He has some really intereresting coins, several going back to the 1800's like the indian head coin. I love looking at his coins every so often, it makes me feel good knowing they were his!

it wasn't just ANY 1943 penny...LOL
Only forty 1943 copper-alloy cents are known to remain in existence. Coin experts speculate that they were struck by accident when copper-alloy 1-cent blanks remained in the press hopper when production began on the new steel pennies--
so everyone on the Penny Hunt looks for those---and the few that are in stainless steel.

it wasn't just ANY 1943 penny...LOL
Only forty 1943 copper-alloy cents are known to remain in existence. Coin experts speculate that they were struck by accident when copper-alloy 1-cent blanks remained in the press hopper when production began on the new steel pennies--
so everyone on the Penny Hunt looks for those---and the few that are in stainless steel.

Interesting....

I have cans and cans of wheat pennies, but have no idea which ones are rare. Anyone know how to tell if they are copper alloy?

If you have a 1943 penny that looks like it is made out of copper, this is how you can authenticate it to tell if it is a genuine 1943 copper penny, or a fake 1943 copper penny. But first of all, be aware that the 1943 penny was issued in zinc-coated steel, because the USA needed copper for the war effort. Any genuine 1943 copper pennies are extremely rare mint errors. Learn more about your silver colored 1943 Steel Penny.

The easiest way to tell if your 1943 copper cent is merely a copper-plated steel penny is to test it with a magnet. If the magnet sticks to the penny, it's made of steel which has been dipped or plated in copper. Such a penny is worth about 15 cents as a novelty item.

If your 1943 copper colored penny doesn't stick to a magnet, then look at the date carefully (using a magnifying glass, if possible.) If the tail of the 3 doesn't extend well below the "line" of numbers, it is probably a cut-in-half 8. A very common fraud involving the copper 1943 cent is to cut away part of the 8 in the date of a 1948 penny. If the 3 in your date looks like half of an 8, your coin is not a genuine 1943 copper penny.

Any time you have a potentially valuable coin, it's always a good idea to take it to a qualified coin dealer for a professional opinion. Most dealers do not charge to have a look at your coins and give you an informal verbal appraisal.

And watch the 50 cent pieces too---
Most people think that the silver in U.S. coins ended in 1964, but this isn't true. The Half Dollar coin had silver in it until 1970. Many people spend the Half Dollars from 1965 to 1970, or sell them in rolls of halves they take to the bank, not realizing they are 40% silver.
The price of silver right now is almost 15 bucks an OUNCE